Leah Goldstein
Graduate studentEducation:
B.A. University of California, Berkeley 2002
Research Interests:
My research focuses on the mechanisms that enable exotic plants 
to invade Native communities. I am working in southern california's coastal sage scrub systems, that are being invaded by exotic annual grasses and forbs. I am currently working to test the hypothesis that successful invaders use resources unused by the resident community and fill an empty niche. I am investigating if trait differences in rooting depth, temporal activity, and water and nitrogen use between native and exotic species may explain the spread of invaders in the Native community.
Recent Awards:
NRS Mildred e. mathias Graduate student Research grant (2005-2006)
Recent Presentations:
Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Memphis Tennessee, August 2006. Poster: "Do invaders fill Empty Niches? The role of trait differences between natives and exotics in coastal sage scrub invasions."
Recent Publications:
Harpole, W.S., L. Goldstein, and R. Aicher. Resource Limitation. In: Ecology and Management of California Grasslands. In Press.
F
avorite Plant:
Calochortus....they all make me happy!